Communications
- Email family and friends
- Instant message online or send text messages to a phone
- Share articles, news, pictures, videos, music with others
- Send information (documents, pictures, maps, plans, sound files, etc.) around the world in minutes
Social Networking
- Reconnect with old friends and classmates
- Connect with people of similar interests worldwide; Meet new people and date
- Interact via social networking sites or virtual worlds like Facebook, MySpace or Second Life
- Arrange carpools or rideshares
Community Networking
- Follow community news like http://casparcommons.org/ http://www.andersonvalley.net/
- Check local current events like
http://www.advocate-news.com/local/ or
http://www.mendocinofun.com/current-events/ - Check the local Girl Scout calendar like
http://girlscoutsmendo.org/calendar.html or buy cookies online
Reference & Research
- Search the County library catalog & request items
http://catalog.sonoma.lib.ca.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=mendo#focus - Find and share recipes
- Research any item of interest like genealogy, health concerns, political issues, candidates, or wave energy
- Look up the answer to almost any question & find more information than any encyclopedia could hold
- Ask for expert advice on any topic
- Download and read whole books like
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page - Track legislation or follow climate change or bird migrations
- Search for job postings
Mapping & Google Earth
- Look up addresses and find directions and maps like
http://maps.google.com/maps - Use 3-D maps like http://earth.google.com/
Gaming/Entertainment
- Play educational children’s games
- Play games (solitaire or multi-player) like Scrabble, poker, chess or puzzles
- Play massively multiplayer online games like WOW or DnD or simulation games like SIMS
- Play fantasy sports like football, basketball, golf, hockey or auto racing
Media: Music & Audio
- Listen to a radio station like http://www.kzyx.org/joomla/or http://www.kozt.com/
- Download MP3 files of music (like iTunes) or interviews (like NPR) to listen to later
- Make and produce music collaboratively over long distances
- Follow a favorite performer, listen to new releases and find out about concert tickets sales
- “Borrow” audio books from the Fort Bragg library
http://downloads.sonomalibrary.org/412D7BED-ABC4-48B0-BF64-0C95331467D3/10/344/en/Default.htm
Media: Video & YouTube
- Watch and comment on video clips from friends, TV, or movies, like
http://www.youtube.com/ - Watch video not available in video stores like historic ballet, opera or symphony
- Download whole movies & upload your own videos
- View and create webcams like http://weather.mcn.org/ or
http://www.theowlcam.com/ - Participate in videoconferencing
Media: Images
- Upload digital pictures & order prints through a local photo shop or to be mailed directly to the home
- Design and publish a hardcopy book of images like
http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/ - Comparing and Shopping
- Shop at a local bookstore
http://www.gallerybooks.com/forms/reqform.html - Shop online at Harvest Market
http://harvestmarket.com/shoponline.htm - Learn more about products and services where the ad says “see website for complete details”
- Compare reviews on any item before purchasing – Consumer Reports
- Shop for items that otherwise might require a long distance drive to find
- Find items on eBay or sell items online directly to collectors
- Arrange to barter goods or services or find free items on
http://mendocino.craigslist.org/or
http://www.Freecycle.org - Locate local food producers or arrange to trade saved seeds
- Track down the perfect used car, truck or farm equipment
Travel Planning
- Compare prices, offerings and reviews of restaurants and hotels. Make reservations.
- Research and shop for best deals on rental cars and flights or arrange home swaps for vacations
Activism & Advocacy
- Participate in local, regional, national & international activism
- Advocate or petition for community resources
- Donate to or support causes worldwide or fundraise online with Paypal
- Locate and apply for grant funding
- Attract volunteers from all over to support a cause
- Leverage local volunteer work with published work by similar interest groups
- Become a citizen monitor for water quality
http://www.ccwi.org/resources/index.html
Publishing
- Blog; keep a public journal or write a newsletter
- Become known as an online writer and then become a professional journalist
- Promote an interest, cause, hobby or event
News & Weather
- Read many newspapers online like
http://www.mendocinobeacon.com/,
http://www.sfgate.com/ & http://online.wsj.com/public/us - Have access to local and world news and studies unreported in the mainstream media
- Check historical, current or forecasted weather anywhere in the world.
- Check snow pack levels
Education
- Complete homework assignments at home; collaborate on projects with other students
- Communicate with your students’ teachers
- Share home school curricula, lessons and projects
- Find and share student projects in many formats: written, audio, visual, slides
- Learn about the Mendocino High School SONAR program
http://musd.mcn.org/blemos/SONAR.html - Attend child or adult online classes through distance learning
- Earn a high school, undergraduate or graduate degree online
- Learn to type, to speak a foreign language, or to do animation
Medical Info & Healthcare
- Have medical information analyzed remotely or arrange second opinions
- Research medical conditions or register as a living organ donor
- Maintain your medical history or join a support group
Emergency Services
- Check road conditions and closures
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi - Plan community disaster preparedness like
http://getreadymarin.org/
Government Services
- Check city information
http://www.cityofpointarena.com/, or
http://city.fortbragg.com/ - Follow the Georgia Pacific Mill Site Reuse Study
http://city.fortbragg.com/pages/viewpage.lasso?pagename=4|GPMillMain - Read agendas or minutes of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us/bos/cgi-bin/meetings.pl - Read the Mendocino County Code
http://municipalcodes.lexisnexis.com/codes/mendocino/ - View county GIS maps for planning, hazards, housing or development like
http://gis.co.humboldt.ca.us/ - Apply for food stamps; get information about Medicare Medi-Cal or WIC programs
- Use the DMV’s online vehicle registration at
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/online/vrir/vr_top2.htm - Check your IRS refund at
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html - Buy postage online
http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152 - Print postage from their home computer
http://www.stamps.com/welcome/?AID=10370188&PID=1554931&gclid=CJvrxeWsypECFRUmawodbmha3Q
Volunteer Distributed Computing
- Share personal computer processing to support projects like SETI@home, Rosetta@home
Computer Support
- Download software upgrades
- Request service support from your hardware manufacturer
- Maintain current virus protections
- Remotely store and backup data
Telecommuting
- Telecommute part time or full time
- Work for a business in another city, state or country
Business & Banking
- Start/expand a home business; access business support via online companies
- Work a second job online; improve employability and employment opportunities
- Collaboratively edit documents, spreadsheets and slides and “sign” documents online
- Conduct business, sell goods and services, find clients, or advertise
- Bank and pay bills online or manage a 401K or portfolio
- Bank online with a local credit union like
http://www.fortbraggfcu.org/ASP/Services/service_1_1.asp
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
Tags: Reference / Resource
